


Somewhere Only We Know

by emilygoldfinch



Category: brooklyn 99
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Gina Linetti, Bisexual Rosa Diaz, Casual Sex, Emo Rosa, F/F, F/M, Femslash, Happy Ending, Happy Pride 2020!, Indie tunes, Leather, Lots of it, Not just the sexy kind, Power Bottom, References to implied eating disorder, Rosa bottoms, Rosa curses like a sailor, Rosa straps on, Rosa tops too, Season 7 Spoilers, Sex Toys, Slow Burn, Smut, Swearing, Work sex, all season spoilers, brooklyn 99 - Freeform, cop sex, dianetti, headcannon, mention of suicide, slowest of burns, so many feelings, very mild BDSM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:01:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 16,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24816523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilygoldfinch/pseuds/emilygoldfinch
Summary: *** CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM ALL SEASONS***Somewhere in Season 7, Rosa finds herself a hot, single, mess. Angsty smut ensues as she copes with her internal turmoil and learns to let down her guard for love. This fic comes complete with smut, curse words, smutty angst, a carefully curated old school indie soundtrack, and angsty smut.Enjoy & Happy Pride Month!And also:DIANETTI FOREVER!
Relationships: Gina Linetti & Milton Boyle, Jake Peralta & Amy Santiago, Rosa Diaz/Adrian Pimento, Rosa Diaz/Gina Linetti, Rosa Diaz/Jake Peralta (implied historical), Rosa Diaz/Jocelyn Pryce (historical), Rosa Diaz/Marcus (historical), Rosa Diaz/Original Character, dianetti - Relationship
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	1. Everything Reminds Me of Her

**Author's Note:**

> Rad indie soundtrack, chapter by chapter:
> 
> 1\. Everything Reminds Me Of Her (Elliott Smith)  
> 2\. Love Ridden (Fiona Apple)  
> 3\. On the Bound (Fiona Apple)  
> 4\. Treat Me Like Your Mother (The Dead Weather)  
> 5\. Fast As You Can (Fiona Apple)  
> 6\. Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands (Elliott Smith)  
> 7\. Together Or Alone (Sebadoh)  
> 8\. St Ides Heaven (Elliott Smith)  
> 9\. Slow Hands (Interpol)  
> 10\. Fell In Love With A Girl (The White Stripes)  
> 11\. Amity (Elliott Smith)  
> 12\. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (Neutral Milk Hotel)  
> 13\. Pitseleh (Elliott Smith)  
> 14\. Skull (Sebadoh)  
> 15\. Maps (The Yeah Yeah Yeahs)  
> 16\. Mystery Of Love (Sufjan Stevens)  
> 17\. Transatlanticism (Deathcab For Cutie)  
> 18\. Somewhere Only We Know (Keane)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I never really had a problem because of leaving,  
> But everything reminds me of her this evening
> 
> \- Elliott Smith

Everything Reminds Me of Her

Rosa had been slightly nervous to start up the playlist, what with Captain Raymond Holt listening as well, but she did nonetheless. The kindness of his offer to be with her while she grappled with having been dumped by her girlfriend was almost too much for her heart to bear, but she appreciated it deeply, so she went with it. They sat silently at the bar with strong drinks and air pods. Rosa breathed out through pursed lips and pressed “play”. The loud, angry music started. She closed her eyes and saw black. 

Emptiness. Loneliness. Anger. Melancholy.  
Guilt. Shame. This breakup was stirring up something dark hidden within her; a swirl of emotions she preferred to keep buried. If she was being honest with herself, it was frightening. A part of her screamed to just shut them out as usual, but on another level, she knew she needed to feel everything...to feel all of this...

Until her thoughts spiralled and her fear verged on panic. 

Her eyes flashed open. She steadied her gaze on a bottle of Patron on the shelf across the bar. The sight of the shining glass skull strangely grounded her. She forced three long, slow deep breaths while staring into its empty eye sockets. 

With her heart still beating at a rapid pace, she allowed herself to creep a sideways glance over at Holt. His eyes were closed. Rosa watched his brows as they, in turn, raised in inquisition, and descended in mild disapproval and confusion. Raymond was making a sincere attempt to appreciate the composition of the song on a technical level, but he couldn’t help but recoil from the sheer intensity of its execution. Nevertheless, he endured it in a show of solidarity for Rosa. 

Rosa gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “You like it?”

“Not at all,” he replied, flatly. 

“You can leave...“

“Not a chance.”

Something about his loyalty to her in that moment, while surely not comprehending nor enjoying her music, reminded her of her father. When Rosa had first come out to her parents as bisexual, they had been dismissive and insensitive. It wasn’t long, however, before her father got his act together enough to put his disappointment behind him and focus on the only thing that really mattered: his love for his daughter. Eventually, her mother came around too, but her dad had really shown up for her when she had least expected it. 

Tears streamed from her bleary eyes once again. “Captain,” she said abruptly, pushing the pause button on her phone, “Honestly. You don’t have to do this for me.“

“Diaz. I would sit with you and listen to the nastiest rap songs ever written, if that would somehow be a demonstration of solidarity with you.“

“Awwn, Capt - Wait. What makes you think I’m into nasty rap?”

“Are you forgetting the ‘Shake What Your Mama Gave You’ incident?”

Rosa blushed and cracked a half-smile. 

“I still have that voicemail saved,” he smiled softly, leaning in, hoping to coax a laugh from his miserable colleague. 

“What. No. Ughhh. Why?” Rosa groaned and rolled her eyes. 

“Linetti convinced me to keep it. She thought that, perhaps someday, a lady friend of yours might enjoy the, uh...serenade. Don’t worry, Diaz. Your rap is safe with me.” He pumped his eyebrows. 

Rosa forced a bit of a laugh through tears as she remembered the ridiculously filthy lyrics, and how she had drunkenly sung the entire song to Holt’s voicemail one night while out drinking with the squad and thinking about.....  
ahhhh....  
nobody. 

It was nobody.

She quickly and forcefully pushed those thoughts away. They wouldn’t serve her now. It was all too late. 

She blinked hard and set her jaw as she picked up her phone and drunkenly mashed her thumbs onto the screen. 

Before long, a lo-fi sounding guitar was strumming a sad, haunting melody, and a double tracked boyish voice began to plaintively whisper/sing the most maudlin and candid lyrics into their ears. 

“Oh Rosa...now, this....” Holt trailed off, his mind drifting as he closed his eyes and let the music wash over him. 

Rosa watched as his facial expression verged on peaceful and his eyelids fluttered ever so slightly. 

Maybe Elliott Smith was a better playlist choice, after all. 

Then it hit. She felt a searing, sickening pang of longing. The music intensified the pain. This was what she needed to feel, but oh fuck, it hurt. 

Rosa grabbed her glass of whiskey and drained it in one big swig. 

She then closed her eyes, hung her head down low, and began to softly weep.


	2. Love Ridden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want your warmth,  
> But it will only make me colder when it’s over
> 
> \- Fiona Apple

Love Ridden

“I’m fiiiine, Captain,” she slurred, her jaw slack and eyelids heavy. Raymond raised an eyebrow. “It’s just few blocks.“

“I am sorry, Diaz, but I cannot just let you wander your way back home whilst clearly very intoxicated. I’m saying this as your superior officer, and, more importantly, as your friend. 

“I’ll fight anyone who tries anything!” she snarled, becoming only momentarily less wobbly and only slightly more fierce looking. She fumbled as she tried to pull a knife out of her boot. 

Raymond sighed, and firmly grasped her at the shoulders. “Diaz.” His gaze radiated unwavering concern. “I will escort you home. I am calling us a taxicab.”

“Fuck. UGGHHhhh. Ok,” she conceded, slumping down into into her chair, her head collapsing into her arms folded up on the table in front of her; her face buried beneath a mop of black curls. 

Raymond gazed intently at his phone for a few minutes before standing up.The app showed that the cab was just around the corner. “Let’s go, Diaz.”

Raymond gently helped her up and steadied her as they made their way out of Shaw’s. He waved to the bartender. Rosa did everything short of flop to the ground, and Raymond essentially carried her long, lithe frame out the door into the waiting cab. 

Once in the car, Rosa immediately closed her eyes and relaxed into the headrest. Holt gently brushed a strand of thick, shiny hair out of her face. 

Was she asleep already?

He closed her door and walked around to the other side of the car. 

This wasn’t how he had thought things would happen. He hadn’t foreseen this sad turn of events for his colleague and friend. On the contrary, Raymond had actually envisioned that someone else would be a key player in Rosa’s life by this point in time, and that she may have even settled down by now with .... a specific somebody. In fact, he thought, why not see what happens if....

He slid his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts. He typed for a few seconds and then paused, his right thumb raised and poised to hit “send”. He looked over at Rosa with a small amount of pity. The girl was a hot, sleepy, mess. 

In one movement, his phone was switched off and placed back into his coat pocket. He whispered to his reflection in the window, voicing his sudden change of heart. 

“Perhaps...not yet. “


	3. On the Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the future’s on the bound,  
> Hell don’t know my fury,  
> You’re all I need 
> 
> \- Fiona Apple

On the Bound

Not the fucking funny HR guy. Uuuuugh. Fuuuuck. 

Rosa couldn’t believe her goddamn awful luck. Work had become a refuge from the strain of her personal life. Here she could be the tough, in charge, emotionless Rosa. Her friends respected her enough not to pry about shit, though she suspected they had all heard about her breakup with Joce by now. Rosa heaved a sigh, rolled her eyes, and threw her head back as soon as the ‘used car salesman who took an improv class and now thinks he’s the shit’ of an HR dude opened his ridiculous mouth. 

This was going to be a long, boringass day. 

The door slowly opened as Hitchcock snuck his way into the room. “Sorry I’m late!” he whisper-shouted.

Before the door closed, Rosa could have sworn she had heard a familiar voice in the distance. But...no. It couldn’t be. She swigged a mouthful of coffee and widened her eyes, fighting the urge to sleep as the HR ass droned on. 

Two hours later, on the HR-mandated 20 minute break, Rosa slipped into the kitchen to pour another coffee. The carafe was empty. Fuck. She’d have to stand in here while the machine brewed a new pot. Terry sat at the table, licking a spoon of yogurt a little too intensely. 

Rosa rolled her eyes. “Easy, Sarge. It’s yogurt. Not your wife.“

“Diaz! How dare you!” he snapped. 

Rosa smirked. 

“I’ll have you know,” he added, “that this is not just yogurt! It’s full fat Greek!”

“Still gross,” she snorted. 

“C’mon, Diaz.” Terry looked slightly hurt. 

“Sorry, Sarge,” she grumbled “I’m just ... I’m feeling pretty pissed off at life right now, and this HR thing is making me stabby. It’s the last thing I need today.”

“I get it, Diaz. Do you need a day off? I’m sure we could arrange-“

“NO!” she said firmly, embarrassed at having shown weakness to a superior, yet again. She wasn’t even drunk this time, for chrissakes. 

Rosa turned to leave, with her mug in hand, still empty. As exhausted as she was, a coffee was not worth this awkward discussion. Terry gently caught her arm. 

“Diaz. I’m saying this as a friend. If you need to take some time....”

He trailed off as a familiar voice boomed through the bullpen. Rosa hadn’t imagined it after all. She and Terry stared at each other in wide-eyed shock. 

Well, I’ll be damned, Terry thought. This wasn’t the person he envisioned coming back into the picture with Rosa, but maybe this would be what she needed at the moment. 

Hitchcock and Scully entered the kitchen. Hitchcock widened his eyes when he saw Rosa, then turned back to look across the bullpen, before turning back to her. He opened his mouth -

“Just. NO!“ Rosa lashed out at him as she swiftly exited the kitchen.


	4. Treat Me Like Your Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't act like you can't act  
> Stand up like a man  
> You better learn to shake hands  
> And treat me like your mother
> 
> \- The Dead Weather

Treat Me Like Your Mother 

Fuck. He was too close to her desk. 

She stayed as far away as possible, as he stood talking to Jake, angled mostly away from her, punctuating his sentences with wild exclamations that she couldn’t help but overhear. Why the fuck did this bastard have to show up again today? Why, when I’m feeling so goddamn weak and needy? She was fuming. And how much fucking longer is this stupid break, anyhow?

Facing a choice of sitting in the briefing room for the last few minutes of the break, alone with the HR ass, or spending this time in the bullpen, she chose the latter. 

She felt a shiver down her spine as she sat, perched on Gina’s old desk, pretending to look at a file. She scowled and narrowed her eyes before looking up to sneak a glance at him. 

He caught her eye for a split second before looking away. Her breath caught in her throat. Fuck. 

She pretended to read again for a few more seconds before sneaking another look. He had his hands in the air, gesticulating wildly, and his jacket and shirt were lifted up, exposing just the slightest glimpse of skin at his low back, and beneath it his belt and tight black jeans, hugging the shape of his- 

Aargh. This was torture.

She slammed the file down on the desk, abandoned her sad empty mug, and strode briskly back to the kitchen. 

“Ok, Sarge. I do need time. Today. I need a longer break. I may not come back. I’ll re-take the HR thing if I have to.” Rosa’s words came flooding out, and before Terry could respond, she turned and was gone. 

Something in her brain had snapped. Fuck it, she thought. 

She marched across the bullpen, right up to Pimento, who still stood with his back mostly to her. She punched him in the spine as she walked by. 

“Hey. Come with me. NOW.”

Pimento stared at Jake, briefly stunned and unsure of what to do. Jake shrugged and half-smirked. It registered to Pimento that he had no choice.

Babylon had come to mind for a split second, before a pang of guilt and sadness hit Rosa. She quickly pushed the annoying feelings aside and turned in the opposite direction. Leaving the bullpen, Pimento just managed to see her blurred dark figure slip into the supply closet down the hall, the door closing behind her. Confused and mildly excited, he followed. 

He opened the door hurriedly and lunged inside the closet. “Ro—“

She reached out, grabbed his shoulder and pulled him close, kissing him wildly while her other hand snaked around to grab the back of his head, pulling him even closer, fingers tangling in his curly hair. 

Fuuuuuuuck this felt good. This was providing her with a much needed hit of dopamine and oxytocin; Rosa was on fire. She had missed this unbridled crazed passion. 

Pimento responded in kind. His hands worked their way up Rosa’s back, under her fucking hot leather jacket and tight black t-shirt. He slid them up and down the sides of her chest and her waist. Such soft skin. It always blew his mind. 

Rosa sucked at his neck, his earlobes, his lips. She bit down hard on his shoulder. His eyes rolled upward as he dropped his head back in ecstasy. 

“Rosa,” he sighed. 

“Shut up and fuck me,” she growled into his ear, reaching down and unbuckling her belt with one hand. Her other hand slid under Pimento’s t-shirt and grabbed a fistful of his chest hair. She bit her bottom lip, snarled, and stared him down. 

“Uh... yeah. Ok! Let’s do this!” he exclaimed, reaching for his zipper. 

Rosa pushed her tight jeans down to her ankles and turned around to face a shelving unit. She braced herself against the cold steel, pressing her forehead into a support bar as Pimento grabbed the straps of her shoulder holster and entered her from behind. She threw her head back and growled, and then purposely flung it forward again to feel the steel bar resist the crown of her head. The pressure and pain from the metal digging into her skin felt so good coupled with the pleasure of Pimento’s thrusts. She felt broken, she felt full, she felt worthless, she felt in control. She reached down between her own legs and began to add to the pleasure which was swiftly overcoming her. A swirl of thoughts and emotions swept over her and she surrendered to it all, alternately whimpering and groaning and then - a howl of ecstasy. Her mind went blank as she shuddered rhythmically. 

Moments later, Rosa went limp, except for her arms, still hanging on to the steel shelves, while Pimento slipped away from her, zipped up his fly, and collapsed onto the cold cement floor. She took a few deep breaths before bending down to grab her jeans. As she did, Pimento reached up and slapped her firm, smooth, caramel-skinned ass. She gave him a fleeting smirk over her shoulder as she pulled her jeans up and buckled her belt. 

She considered leaving it at that and walking out of the closet, but thought better of it, and instead sat down beside her ex-fiancé. 

“Adrian,” she started, looking into his brown eyes which were uncharacteristically soft. “I just —-“

The door opened. Fuck, Adrian had forgotten to lock it. Or maybe she just hadn’t given him time to do so. Either way, Boyle let out a short high-pitched squeak as he took in the scene before him. 

Which was really just Rosa and Pimento sitting next to each other on the floor, fully clothed, but Boyle of course knew there was more going on. 

“Rosa! Adrian! I’m sorry! I —“

“Beat it, Boyle,” Rosa warned sharply. Boyle, flustered, stepped backward into the hallway and slammed the door shut behind him. 

“Adrian!” came Boyle’s muffled voice from behind the door. “Jake and I need to talk to you again. It’s urgent!”

“Sorry, babe,” he lamented. “My place? Tonight?”

“Ok.” 

Adrian looked around suspiciously, and then whispered his address into Rosa’s ear. 

He leaned over and kissed her, then squeezed her toned thigh as he sprung up to leave. The pit in her stomach returned. 

Fuck. Back to HR hell, I guess, thought Rosa. At least the edge was taken off a bit, for now.


	5. Fast As You Can

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes my mind don’t shake and shift,  
> But most of the time it does,  
> And I get to the place where I'm begging for a lift,  
> Or I'll drown in the wonders and the was
> 
> \- Fiona Apple

Fast As You Can

Dawn broke over Brooklyn, and Rosa was more than getting into it. Handcuffed to the bed, sprawled out on her back, eyes closed, biting her lip to keep from exploding. 

The tongue licked slowly, softly up her calf, then her thigh, then her taut belly at last. She reached down, grabbed a handful of soft brown hair and exclaimed, “Enough! Fuck me now!” 

She was a obviously a dom, and loved to keep things all over the map in the bedroom, but she had to admit she particularly loved being a power bottom. “Do it! NOW!” she snarled. 

First, a finger. Then another. Then a third, joining in, exploring her soft, wet centre. Next came a smaller finger, well behind the others, lubed up and gently probing in between her cheeks. She felt full, just the way she liked it. She stared to buck rhythmically up into the pressure. Next came the final component in Rosa’s favourite trifecta: tongue. A few gentle, soft laps were followed by strong, rhythmic licks, as Rosa lifted her hips up to grind against chin, nose, anything within reach. She was truly on the edge now. The beautiful auburn haired woman between her legs paused to smile up at her. Rosa smiled back, feeling a brief flutter in her chest, and was about to let herself go, when-

(Wait. Was she dreaming? Half-awake? What was going on? Where was she?)

Rosa opened her eyes. It wasn’t her; it wasn’t Gina. It was Pimento. Rosa closed her eyes and tried to conjure the image of the woman back from her dream. Gina. Gina. Fuck me harder, Gina. 

“Gina!” she called out in a husky yelp. 

Rosa dug her manicured claws deep into the meat of Pimento’s shoulders as she rode the intense waves of pleasure brought on partly by reality, partly by a half-asleep dream. 

“Mmm hmm!” exclaimed Pimento. “Still hot for Gina, huh?! I can get behind that!” He chuckled and wiped his face with his sleeve. 

Rosa was slightly embarrassed. She sighed and set her jaw. 

“Babe. That was so fucking hot!” Pimento glanced down at his hand. “I think my shoulders are even bleeding!” His eyes and smile widened. “You always did enjoy being woken up with a good shocker! Ha! I love you, babe!”

“Yeah, it was dope. Thanks for the fuck,” Rosa mumbled as she gathered her clothes strewn about the room. “I have to get ready for work now. “

“Sure babe. Shower is all yours! I work from home today so I can stay sweaty and naked for as long as I want!”

Once in Pimento’s decrepit old shower, Rosa let the warm water cascade over her face as she held her breath and opened her mouth. Here we go again. Her mind was racing. Her resolve stiffened. 

Ten minutes later, Rosa emerged from the bathroom, freshly washed but dressed in yesterday’s grubby clothes. She looked like a dirty criminal and smelled like a mix of hot messy sex and man soap. Fuck it.

“Adrian. We need to talk.”

Adrian stood naked as a jaybird, frozen in a somewhat unflattering tai-chi pose. Rosa still couldn’t help but admire his shapely ass. 

“Sure, babe. What’s up?” His eyes surveyed Rosa’s gorgeous, slim, long-legged physique, and he felt a surge of lust as he bounded over to her. 

They sat down next to each other on the bed. Pimento leaned in and inhaled deeply, his big eyes as wide as ever.

“Damn, you smell good. Better than I do when I use that soap!” He nuzzled her neck. She clenched her jaw, unwilling to succumb to pity or guilt. Or lust, for that matter. 

“Adrian. I’m sorry. No.” She gently pushed him away. “I can’t. Right now. I just can’t.”

“Sure, babe. You’re late for work. I get it! How about I swing by at lunch and we bone down in the supply closet again?”

Rosa stood up. “No. I can’t. With any of this. It just feels wrong. You’re really great. The sex is really fucking great. But I feel like....my, uh, heart isn’t into it.” Rosa ran the last few words very quickly, quietly, under her breath. 

“Diaz! Your heart?! You’re listening to your heart?! Who ARE you, even? You usually listen to your sweet little c-“

“ADRIAN!” She exclaimed, exasperated. “You know this is hard for me.”

Pimento stood up and inched closer to her. ”I am hard for you, babe!”

She smacked him across the face. It stung. He rubbed his cheek as he laughed. “YEAH! Alright! I’m into it!” 

His smile faded as he caught her steely cold gaze. “Oh. You’re not playing. Uhhhh...ok.” He hung his head down, dejected. “Yeah, I get it. I’m sorry. We’ve been through this before. It’s cool. This was just a casual fuck. No biggie. Diaz is OFF the table! STUPID Adrian!” He cried out, as he smacked himself in the face. 

Rosa leaned in, kissed his forehead, and walked out of the room. She could hear his sobs from the hallway. 

Fuck. She thought, furious with herself, as she raced down the stairs of the apartment building. What the fuck is wrong with me?!

Back at the precinct, Rosa slumped half-in, half-out of her chair, her foul mood palpable to everyone within a five-block radius. The squad kept their distance and walked on eggshells, which was not an uncommon tactic for them to employ around Mount Diaz. 

The briefing began. She fumed silently as she listened to the details of the drug case being presented by Holt. Before he could assign it to anyone, Rosa blurted out, “On it!” desperate for a distraction from her disastrous and uncomfortable personal life. 

“Ok,” answered Holt. “Diaz and Peralta. The case is yours. Dismissed.” 

Jake crept over towards Rosa, smiling timidly. He knew better than to try to initiate small talk right now. Or any talk, really, for that matter. 

“Let’s go,” Rosa muttered, pushing her chair into the aisle carelessly as she got up and bee-lined for the elevator. Jake grabbed the case file and hurried after her. 

“See ya after we bust up this drug ring-a-ling-a-ding-dong y’all!!!” Jake hollered through his ‘megaphone mode’ hands into the bullpen as the elevator doors closed. 

“There is not enough fucking coffee in the world,” Rosa quietly growled at the elevator wall as she and Jake rode down to the lobby.


	6. Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You say you mean well,  
> You don't know what you mean,  
> Fucking ought to stay the hell away  
> From things you know nothing about
> 
> -Elliott Smith

Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands 

Another dud of a day in the field. Ugh. Jake and Rosa’s leads had all been shitty wastes of time, and Rosa was pissed. She was also unsurprised, as the universe was so obviously fucking with her these days. At least she could sit in silence with her longtime friend and partner as they made their way home in the cruiser. 

Rosa insisted that Jake drive today. She often preferred to be in control between the sheets and behind the wheel, but today she had a modicum of self-preservation intact; she was marginally concerned that her intense fury and despair would cause her to purposely swerve into oncoming traffic. Nobody needed that kind of fucking carnage today. 

They sat quietly until Jake decided to open his big mouth. As supportive a friend as Jake was, he could also tend towards being a meddling little bitch (albeit with good intentions). That day, he had noticed her in yesterday’s clothes, with reddened eyes and somewhat familiar marks on her neck and wrists. He knew Pimento was somehow in the picture after yesterday’s supply closet fiasco. He was aware that Rosa had less than zero interest in delving into her personal life now (or ever), but he was genuinely concerned. Pimento could be cool, but he could also be a completely unhinged lunatic. 

“Rosa... are...you...”

“Fuck off, Jake,” she hissed through a clenched jaw as she stared out the window. 

“You know...I really care about you.”

“UGH!” she barked. 

“Did Adrian —“

“FUCK. Jake. Ugh. We fucked, ok? We fucked at work, we fucked at his place, I wanted it, but I fucking regret it.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“No, Jake! Fuck! If anything, I hurt him!”  
An angry tear rolled down her cheek. 

“Rosa, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. I just want you to know that I’m here to listen if you need me. Amy is, too, if it’s, ya know, lady business.” He made a ridiculous gesture with his hands. Rosa rolled her eyes, almost cracking a hint of a smile but not quite. 

She unfocused her eyes, gazing out the window at the emerald tree blur of the Long Island Expressway. Deep inhale. Heavy sigh. Ah, fuck. The guy meant well.

“Thanks, Jake.”

Not another word was spoken by the two detectives until they were back at the precinct. 

“Hey, sweetie!” Amy ran up to greet Jake as he and Rosa walked off the elevator. “Guess what?! I felt the baby kick for the first time today!” 

Jake’s face lit up. “Ames!!! What? Oh my God! That’s amazing!!! I wanna feel, just in case!” He placed his hands on her belly as the two of them basked in a happy couple moment together. 

Rosa groaned quietly to herself as she made her way to her desk. She plopped down sloppily in her chair, slipped her headphones on, and pounded on her keyboard spacebar at a few times to wake up her stupid computer. She angrily clicked and scrolled her way through a million annoying emails, unable to focus. Her gaze drifted to the empty desk across the room more than once. Fucking traitor, she thought. Why the fuck did you have to leave? We could have had something real, goddamnit. 

Restlessness hit. She got up and strode to the kitchen to fetch a mug of herbal tea in hopes of soothing her shot nerves. 

“Heyyyy sleuth sister!” Amy cooed sweetly, as she wheeled a chair from a table in the kitchen over to the counter. Rosa grimaced. This was Amy’s recent MO as her pregnancy had taken a lot out of her, physically. It reminded Rosa of the ridiculous yet hilarious chair-sitting competition she’d had with Hitchcock and Scully, but she couldn’t blame Amy in the least. That watermelon gut looked heavy as shit, albeit kinda cute. 

Amy’s voice lowered. “I was wondering if you wanted to chat..at all? Jake kinda hinted that you’re having a rough time.”

“Yeah, ya think?” Rosa scoffed brusquely. 

“I’m sorry, Rosa. We’re just a bit worried. After the Jocelyn thing and now Pimento...”

“That’s NONE of your business!” Rosa snapped. 

“Ok, ok! I get it. I’m sorry. Rosa...I...we... care about you. “

“Look. Amy.” She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “I just want to be happy ok? I just want...” she gazed across the bullpen at Gina’s desk, out the side of her eye, and lowered her voice significantly. “I just want what you guys have. You’re so happy with your perfect life and your perfect family, and your perfect fucking happiness.” 

Rosa’s way with words could be said to deteriorate substantially in times of distress. 

Amy had followed Rosa’s gaze across the bullpen. Had she read that right? Was that what Rosa meant? Ah. This all made sense now. Amy felt a pang of sympathy for her terrifying yet heartbroken friend.

“Oh...Rosa...I’m sorry....”

She looked into Rosa’s smouldering eyes, the expression of which belied a broken heart, then out to Gina’s desk, then back to Rosa. Amy raised her eyebrows in a strange mix of inquisition and pity. Rosa felt guilty, caught, panicked, and nauseous. Her heart rate accelerated and her jaw dropped open. 

“Amy, I...” she stammered, “I have to go.”

Rosa dashed out of the kitchen, herbal tea be damned, and fled to the back stairwell. Down she dashed, away from the bullshit bullpen. Why the fuck was everyone bothering the hell out of her right now? She did not want to talk about this shit; not now, not ever. When would these dum dums fucking get it?


	7. Together or Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These unsure hands could never soothe you,  
> Too afraid of doing something wrong,  
> And this confusion wears me down,  
> Until I feel like a nervous stranger
> 
> \- Sebadoh

Together or Alone

She pushed the stack of old filing boxes aside and rested her hand on the cool silver handle. Closing her eyes and inhaling, Rosa steeled herself for whatever was to come. She jiggled it. It was still locked. Thank fuck. She reached into her pocket for a bobby pin and effortlessly picked the lock like a criminal. Why did she kind of feel like one, too? 

Rosa stepped through the doorway. There was a faint scent of lavender in the air; stale, but familiar and comforting. 

Memories came flooding back. The furtive glances, comfortable silences, shared snickers, coy smiles, suggestive comments, “platonic” cuddles....fuck. She missed everything about her and their time together at the Nine Nine. How had they only been given those few years together? And how had they missed their chance, especially after Rosa had actually come out?

“In another lifetime...”

FUCK THAT. Rosa picked up a dried flower, threw it to the ground, and ground it to a pulp with her shitkicking heel. 

THIS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR LIFETIME. TOGETHER. 

She picked up a framed “Thelma and Louise”-inspired photo of the two of them, and raised it, ready to smash it to all hell, but instead fell back onto the plush leopard print covered toilet seat, and began to sob. 

They were huge, ugly, weak, pathetic sobs. What an idiot she had been to think they had some kind of future together. Stupid fucking idiot. Why would anyone love someone like herself? 

The more she ruminated, the more her self-loathing intensified. She grabbed a red sequinned heart shaped pillow and held it to her chest. This heartache hurt so awfully; how she would ever make it out of Babylon alive and functional, she had no idea. More tears came as she alternated between anger at Gina, anger at herself, and raw goddamn pity for her own sorry ass. 

Twenty minutes or so later, there was a tiny, tentative knock at the door. Or was there? She held her breath and listened. 

The knock came again. One. Two. Three. 

“What?!” She snapped, half scared, half enraged. 

“Rosa? Is that you? It’s me, Charles.” 

Of course it was. 

“Uggggh. Not again. Fuck off, Boyle.”

“Rosa? I’m going to stay right outside here, ok? I’m going to sit here until I know you’re ok. Take your time. I’m here. Just know I’m here for you.”

Fuck. These people were insufferable. What was she? A jumper on a ledge? Fuck that. She wasn’t a weak piece of shit. This was all just a fucked up blip. An anomaly. She was FINE, GODDAMNIT. 

Rosa sniffled and dabbed her eyes with her sleeve. Imagine her fucking mascara right now? She didn’t dare look in any of the multiple bling-framed mirrors placed around Babylon. 

“I’m FINE, Boyle. There. Happy?!”

“Ok Rosa. I hear you, friend. I’ll just stay a bit longer. No worries.”

Charles had always had a soft spot for Rosa. For some reason, she didn’t really scare him. As a true empath, he saw past her tough exterior, right down to her core; to the scared little girl she kept hidden from everyone, or so she thought. Not only that, but Charles cared very deeply for her. Though he knew they would never be together, he still loved her, and he knew he always would. And he was ok with that. 

About fifteen minutes later, a hoarse, warbly voice came from behind the door. 

“Charles? Charles, are you still there?”

There she was. The scared little girl. 

“Yes, Rosa. I’m here,” he replied softly, right into the space between the door and its frame. 

The door opened. Rosa stood inside, her makeup a smeared disaster, her clothes smelling of sweat and Pimento, her eyes bleary and red. 

Oh, Rosa.” He opened his arms. She melted into his embrace. These insufferable dum dums did truly care about her after all. 

Charles and Rosa sat on the floor of Babylon, which was made more hospitable by the shag zebra rugs Gina had left there. They talked about everything. Rosa poured her heart out. It hurt, but it was relieving to get it all off her chest. This was a heavy burden she’d been shouldering for far too long. 

“Rosa... can I tell you something?” Boyle asked, tentatively. “And please don’t stab my face off because of it...”

“Yeah. What?”

“We knew all along.”

“What?”

“We all knew you and Gina were in love. It was so obvious.” 

The embarrassment was too much to bear and Rosa felt her anger, her perfect defence mechanism, rising. 

“What the FUCK, Boyle?” I mean...there had always been a lot of tension between her and Gina, but this revelation was next level. 

Boyle, impervious to her display of fury, just smiled. “Rosa, it was obvious. Plus, Gina had told Holt, but didn’t know you, um, went both ways. None of us did, but we were still kind of hoping. We were waiting for something to happen organically. Nobody wanted to meddle. But then Gina fell in love with my awful cousin Milton while she waited around for you... Then you came out, and it all made sense, but it was too late. It killed her to set you up with her friends, but she loved you and wanted to see you happy. Then she had Iggy, and she and Milton moved upstate. It all happened so fast, and the timing was just so bad. So, so, bad.”

Rosa cried into her hands. 

“Then Gina broke up with Milton, about a month ago.”

Rosa stopped breathing altogether, her face hidden. 

“She texted me to ask about you. I told her you were doing great and living with Jocelyn. I had to be honest with her, and that was all I could tell her at the time. It was the truth. I did suggest that she send you a text, but she got all weird. I never heard from her again after that.” 

“Jesus fucking Christ,” hissed Rosa, who in that moment was a mess of emotions so badly entangled that she couldn’t think straight. 

“And I was going to text her earlier this week, but then Pimento...and the closet sex, and -“

“Fucking hell, Boyle!”

“Yeah, Rosa. It did kind of go to hell. But now....here you are, crying in Babylon-“

“Shut up. “

“-and, honestly,” he continued, “it has me wondering...” He rested a hand on her shoulder ever so gently. “Is this finally your moment?”

Rosa stared straight ahead, dumbfounded. This was way too much to fucking process. She looked down at the zebra rug and the Thelma and Louise picture of her and Gina, resting her gaze upon it. She flashed on her dream from the other night. Her heart skipped a beat. 

Was this their lifetime, after all?


	8. St Ides Heaven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moon is a lightbulb breaking,  
> It will go around with anyone,  
> But it won’t come down for anyone
> 
> \- Elliott Smith

St Ides Heaven

Rosa grew slightly less volatile with each passing week. She had gotten a lot of angst out of her system via the Pimento fling and the Babylon meltdown. The squad noticed she seemed to be coming back down to her normal level of unapproachable and scary. Pimento was nowhere to be found, and Boyle, sworn to secrecy, had stayed mum for once with respect to her candid outpouring. 

Rosa tried to stay focused on her work, fixated on nailing this drug ring king pin, and attempting to ignore the news that Boyle had broken to her. She knew wasn’t in a place to reach out to Gina right now; she had too much personal shit to work through. Nonetheless, her heart was buoyed slightly by the thought that Gina might be out there, somewhere, waiting...

Morning briefing. Rosa was sideways in her chair with her boots propped up on her desk, swigging coffee. Another big solve (Boyle’s collar, but they’d all worked together in the end), another happy moment for what Rosa truly believed to be the best squad in the NYPD. Holy sweet goddamn, they were good at this.

“Nine Nine!” 

A cheer rose from the briefing room before the detectives made their way back to their desks. Rosa was proud to be a part of the squad and actually felt ok for the first time in forever. 

“Shaw’s tonight, y’all!” hollered Jake across the bullpen, his hands in megaphone mode again. Rosa would go. It would be an excuse to drink, lighten up a bit, and keep those shitty feelings stifled, though of course it wouldn’t be silent enough for her taste. 

Amy, six months pregnant, wheeled her chair over to Rosa’s desk. “Too bad you won’t get a taste of four-drink Amy tonight, Rosa, ‘cause you’re a hot little piece, but this mama is dryyyy.”

“Ew. Come on, Amy.” Rosa shoot her a look of disgust. How was sober, pregnant Amy such a horn-dog? Pregnancy hormones were weird. 

It was 8:00 in the evening. Rosa was nursing a pre-game whiskey (straight from the half-empty bottle) and looking through her modest closet. Jeans or a dress? A tough call, as always. Rosa loved walking the line between butch and femme, playing with leather and metal and satin and denim. Hard and soft. Rosa in a nutshell. 

The whiskey was starting to go to her head. She had a brief floaty feeling, and realized she actually felt pretty damn good. Thank you, booze. But, also, oops. She realized she had forgotten to eat dinner. Ha! Cheap date. 

Come to think of it...should she be someone’s date? She pondered this question. Was it now time to look past her bullshit issues, hook up, and bone down? It had been, what, three weeks? A month? What a shitty slump. She reached for a tight, short, sleeveless black velvet dress. Throw a leather jacket over that number, pull on a pair of shit kicking boots, and she was good to go. Dope. Wait. Should she grab a thong, or ...something? Nah. She decided she’d be an easy date, too. 

Rosa walked the twelve blocks to Shaw’s.  
Scratch that; she fucking swaggered the twelve blocks to Shaw’s. She was tipsy, but you wouldn’t know it. Rosa could hold her sauce like a damn champ. 

The night air was a bit crisp and felt wonderful on her face and on bare thighs, and on —- other places. It reminded her of Gina, and the time at Amy’s bachelorette when they giggled together about their love of going commando, and Gina caressed Rosa’s ass —- fuck. How had she not realized it? Gina had practically thrown herself at Rosa. Rosa had always gotten slightly uncomfortable, and embarrassed, thinking Gina was joking around, that Gina would never go for someone like her, that maybe she herself wasn’t actually queer after all, that maybe someone would discover her secret...

Ugh. What a fucking waste of time, caught up in her own stupid head like an idiot, instead of being true to herself, taking a chance, living her life. Well, not this time. Not tonight, she thought with resolve. 

Rosa was perched at the bar, sipping tequila on the rocks, her long tan legs in their tall black boots crossed at the knee. Her leather jacket hung on the back of her barstool, leaving her toned torso to its own devices, with its sculpted bare shoulders, taut abdomen, curvy hips. She was, in essence, a goddamn snack in an LBD. She was biding her time listening to Charles prattle on about Nikolaj while Amy listened intently...but she was, undoubtedly, drunk and on the prowl.


	9. Slow Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And I might stop and look upon your face,  
> Disappear in the sweet, sweet gaze,  
> See the living that surrounds me,  
> Dissipate in a violet blaze
> 
> \- Interpol

Slow Hands

It was the reddish hair that first caught her eye. The girl seated alone a few seats down at the bar had a hair colour not unlike someone she knew, but that was where the similarities ended. This girl had a smaller frame, wore dark-rimmed glasses, had freckles, and wore her hair in two pigtails with adorable fringe. She wore a button-up A-line frock that was bright teal with a purple cat print. Normally, that shit would have made Rosa want to vomit, but this girl was cuuuuute. Like in a grownup hipster Pippi Longstocking way? Fucking Brooklyn. Rosa didn’t know. Her brain was on overdrive. Moreover the girl was wearing a pair of clunky black Mary Janes with rainbow knee socks (hello 1995?) and had what appeared to be a pink triangle tattooed on the inside of one wrist. 

Target spotted, sights locked. 

Rosa tried not to stare at Pippi, but her reaction time was slightly affected by the hard liquor, and the girl caught her gaze a few times. Rosa had grinned the last time it happened. So had the girl. 

Rosa beckoned to Hank at the bar and slid him a bill. “Another tequila for me and another one of whatever Pippi over there is drinking, for her. And tell her I bought it,” she demanded firmly. 

Pippi was drinking some kind of fruity cocktail thing. Whatever. Cute. Rosa stared at her with a crooked smile as the server brought out their drinks. Pippi’s featured a maraschino cherry on a toothpick sword. Ha. Rosa watched as the server pointed in her direction. The girl smiled a beautiful big grin at Rosa, displaying her straight, white teeth, and then bit the cherry off the toothpick. Rosa winked and bit her bottom lip. 

Boyle just happened to catch some of this interaction as he put down his phone. He had been busy texting someone for the past few minutes while Amy was in the washroom; he had finally shut up, as Rosa was clearly uninterested in hearing about Nikolaj’s escapades. 

“Uh...Ohhhhh no. Rosa - nooo. Ummm - I, um—-“ 

“Shut up, Boyle,” Rosa scowled at him. Boyle could be cool, but a lot of times, he bordered on being a pain in the ass. 

“Did you just buy that girl a drink and then make eyes at her?”

“Uh huh.”

“Do you want to have sex with her?!” He asked in a hushed, high-pitched panicked tone, frowning in disapproval. 

“Uh huh.” 

“Rosa, I, uh, don’t think that’s a great idea.” Boyle nervously checked his phone. 

Rosa didn’t know what was up with him, nor did she give a shit. She gulped down her drink and slammed the glass on the bar. “I wanna sleep with her, and I’m gonna sleep with her.”

Boyle was texting frantically as Rosa slid off her bar stool, slipped on her jacket, and sauntered along the bar towards Pippi. The girl slurped up her drink through a paper straw in an astonishingly short amount of time as she stared intently at Rosa. 

“You got brain freeze yet?” Rosa asked, hands on hips. 

“On the contrary,” said the girl. “I’m actually on fire right now.”

“Mmmmm,” hummed Rosa, smirking. “Tight. Wanna get out of here?”

“With you?” The girl raised an eyebrow and looked Rosa up and down, and then up again. “Hell yeah.”

Rosa felt a flutter in her chest.

Pippi, or whatever her name was, grabbed a fuzzy yellow wool sweater and pulled it over her head. Rosa was dying from the cute, what the fuck? The two could barely keep their hands off each other as they made their way out of the bar, Rosa copping a feel of the girl’s waist under her sweater as she followed her to the door. 

Outside of Shaw’s, Rosa grabbed Pippi’s shoulders and pushed her up against the cold brick wall. She kissed the girl hungrily as she slid her hands all the way up under the fuzzy damn sweater. 

“Call us a cab,” Rosa purred into the girl’s ear. “I’m taking you home.” Rosa licked and nibbled at her neck as the girl fumbled in her bag, searching for her phone while her eyes closed and neck arched backward. The girl held her phone with one hand and grabbed Rosa’s ass with her other one. Rosa moaned. 

“Jesus fuck!” the girl exclaimed, smiling. “You are a fucking snack.”

“Aren’t you about to find out, Pippi,” Rosa teased. 

“I’m Lottie.”

“Rosa. Nice to fuck you,” Rosa snarled with a smile. 

The cab arrived around ten minutes later, but not before Rosa managed to reach under Lottie’s dress and get a hand on the front of the girl’s silky underwear, stroking firmly and rhythmically. Rosa had always had a thing for breaking public indecency laws. 

The cab rolled away, turning the corner toward Rosa’s condo building. The girls carried on in the backseat as if a five minute ride were too long to wait to get back to it. 

Minutes later, another cab pulled up in front of Shaw’s. Another cute reddish-haired girl with a quirky fashion sense emerged and entered the bar. Gina greeted the squad with high-fives and shout-outs. Her gaze bounced around from table to table to bar to table, and, as it did, her smile faded and her heart sank.


	10. Fell In Love With A Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can't keep away from the girl,  
> These two sides of my brain need to have a meeting  
> Can't think of anything to do,  
> yeah my left brain knows that all love is fleeting
> 
> \- The White Stripes

Fell In Love With A Girl

The elevator doors closed and Rosa and Lottie paused for a breather. “Did I mention I’m a detective with the NYPD? You are under a-fucking-rrest, kitten. I know you’re up to no good. Public mischief. Being shit hot. Various other misdemeanours.” 

Lottie looked intently at Rosa with her green doe eyes. “You’re right. What are you going to do to me, detective? I’ve been sooo bad. I broke sooooo many laws.”

“Yeah you have. You’re gonna get cuffed. You’re gonna get roughed up. And I’m gonna teach you a lesson with my billy stick.”

“Oh no, detective. Is there any way I can get out of this punishment?” Lottie whined, grinning coyly. 

The elevator chimed and the doors opened. They walked down the hall to Rosa’s apartment. “There is,” Rosa growled, her scarred eyebrow arched.  
She turned her key in the lock and swung the door open, pulling Lottie in behind her. 

“You can drop and give me 20.”

The apartment door slammed shut. Lottie licked her lips and dropped to her knees in front of Rosa. “Oh, it will be far more than 20,” she said slyly, reaching up and sliding the hem of Rosa’s slinky dress up around the brunette’s waist. 

“You’re our of line, detective.” She smiled, her eyes fixed on the sight before her. “This is definitely not dress code.”

Rosa reached both arms out backward and braced herself on her kitchenette bar counter. “I don’t follow codes. I do what I want. And right now, I want you to fuck me.”

This was good. Really good. Rosa loved having sloppy drunken sex with strangers. It gave her a thrill, and made her feel alive. She felt dirty, sexy, wild. She got loud and she got rough. She grabbed hold of Lottie’s pigtails as she leaned backward against the bar, wrapping a boot around the redhead’s back and pushing her hips into her face. “Fuck YESSSS. I’m gonna come. Fuck me harder!”

Lottie pumped her fingers quicker and harder as her tongue worked furiously to bring Rosa over the edge. A fierce, low growl emerged from Rosa as she came, taking Lottie for a wild ride.

Her body finally relaxed and she slithered down to the floor, grabbing Lottie and pulling her face up to hers. She kissed the girl with more abandon than ever, her appetite as a top just begging to be sated. 

“Lottie,” she purred between kisses. “I hope you bottom too, because I want to fuck your adorable fucking brains out.”

Lottie smiled, her mouth open wide. “I’m here for all of this.” She returned Rosa’s kisses with fervour. “Do your worst, Detective.”

“Tight.” Rosa stood up and led Lottie to her bedroom by the arm. 

“Strip,” she ordered. “The dress and the sweater go.”

Lottie pulled off her sweater and unbuttoned her dress, letting it slide to the floor. She stood in her flats, rainbow knee socks, silky purple thong and matching bra. Rosa grabbed her wrists and cuffed her. 

”On the bed. On all fours,” she commanded. 

Lottie did as she was told, and perched up on Rosa’s charcoal bed sheets. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply in anticipation, waiting a minute for Rosa to get ready. 

“Have a look at what’s coming for you.”

Dom Rosa was a sight to behold. She was clad in her leather jacket over a lacy black bra, naked below the waist save for a pair of knee-high leather boots, and a harness around her hips. She was brandishing a large, black, silicone piece of equipment, and it stood at attention. 

“Oh my fucking GOD!” squealed Lottie. “I have been SOOO BAD!”

Rosa sauntered up to Lottie and slapped her bare ass a few times, before leaning in, pulling her silky thong to the side, and tasting what lay beneath. Lottie moaned in pleasure. “Ohhhh detective.....yessss... discipline me. I deserve it.” 

Lottie was already wet and ready for Rosa to enter her. Rosa gave a few slow, deep thrusts, and then started to pound away with a steady rhythm. She grabbed Lottie’s hip with one hand, and reached around to pleasure the girl from the front with her other hand. 

“Oh, kitten...yessss. You are a model inmate. You’ll get perks for good behaviour.” Unsurprisingly, Rosa loved being a cop dom. She had been down this road many, many times before, and still hadn’t tired of the game. 

Lottie started to whimper and to buck against Rosa’s thrusts and furious fingers. “Ohhh detective. I’m serving my sentence. My release date is coming.”

“Let it come, baby.”

“It’s coming...I’m coming...I’m....” Lottie hollered out as her body surrendered to spasms of pleasure. 

“Fuck yesss,” Rosa growled and smacked Lottie’s ass as she drove the appendage deeper and harder into her. 

The two finally collapsed onto the bed, Rosa sighing and Lottie panting. 

“Holy shit, that was hot, Rosa.”

“Fuck yeah, it was dope,” Rosa smiled, wrapping her arms around the gorgeous stranger in her bed. 

Nothing else mattered in this moment. This feeling wouldn’t last forever, but it was enough right now. Rosa and Lottie snuggled silently, before they were both overcome by the sedating combination of alcohol, oxytocin, and an ungodly time of early morning. It wasn’t long before Rosa fell into the deepest state of sleep she’d experienced in weeks. 

When her eyes opened again, it was only to take in a sleepy glimpse of the nude redhead curled up beside her, and to curse the fucking 5:00 AM alarm that was going off. Had she even really slept at all? Ugh. No way was she going to workout this morning. She slammed her fist down on the alarm clock button, closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Lottie. 

The snooze alarm went off a few more times, each quashed by Rosa’s fist, until she finally opened her eyes for good just after 6:00. Lottie was already awake, lying relaxed beside her, and once she saw Rosa’s eyes open, she smiled and leaned in to cover Rosa’s neck in tiny kisses. 

“Mmmmm...kitten. You are so fucking hot. But I had a million drinks last night and I have to run to the washroom.” 

On her way back to bed, Rosa caught sight of Lottie’s purse which lay on the rug at the foot of the bed. 

“Ha! Of course you have a fucking Hello Kitty purse,” Rosa mused out loud, snickering, as she climbed in beside the redhead. “Jesus, Lottie. 1995 called. They want your ass back.” 

“I want your ass back, Rosa,” Lottie giggled, as she squeezed Rosa’s firm cheeks with both hands under the covers. Though not typically Rosa’s thing, Lottie’s lighthearted demeanour was a welcome distraction from reality. 

“Rosa, I just want you to know. I really like you, and I had an amazing time. Good God, woman, you’re a fucking tiger in the sack. But ... I like to keep these things casual. You know?”

Rosa sighed in relief. “Oh, believe me. I know.” 

“Great. So...” Lottie half whispered in Rosa’s ear, running her hands through Rosa’ s mess of wild curls, “One last fuck for the road, or what?” 

“Mmmm-hmmm,” Rosa moaned, as Lottie nibbled on her earlobe, which of course drove Rosa wild. She grabbed a hold of the redhead and rolled her onto her back.

“You got it, kitten.” Rosa kissed and licked her way down to Lottie’s naked hips, then turned around so that her own hips hovered over Lottie’s face. 

“Mmmm. Fuck, yeah. You taste like fucking candy, kitten.”

“And you taste —-mmmmmm—-like warm pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie and....  
danger.”


	11. Amity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amity caught stars in her arms,  
> Hello, Hello Kitty, happy in New York City,  
> Amity walking like a lucky charm
> 
> \- Elliott Smith

Rosa held her glossy black helmet under one arm and watched as her pigtailed one-night stand flitted her way down the street, back to whatever random fucking unicorn world she’d come from. Rosa sighed, donned the helmet, and mounted her motorcycle. 

She literally knew nothing about Lottie except how she looked, how she smelled, how she felt, how she tasted. Rosa had zero interest in developing a relationship with her - Lottie would probably drive Rosa nuts in large Hello Kitty doses - but they had exchanged numbers just in case. 

Rosa replayed in her mind the past 12 hours in great detail as she sped to work. It felt good to think dirty thoughts while astride her rumbling bike, and it was not an uncommon occurrence. 

She swaggered into the bullpen, long legs swinging, and took a seat at her desk. She was running a bit late and wanted to check in before dropping her gear off at her locker and grabbing coffee in the kitchenette. Charles stared at her with raised eyebrows, his mouth partially agape. Jake smiled at her knowingly. She ignored everyone. If anyone so much as even hinted about seeing her with Lottie last night she would punch them in the gut so hard they’d toss their organic quinoa/chia seed breakfast cookies. 

Apart from the hookup with Lottie that they’d witnessed (and which was not at all out of character for Rosa), she was slightly embarrassed knowing she’d been a bit of an emo disaster around all of these people recently. But fuck that shit. She was over Jocelyn, over Pimento, over Gina (somewhat...maybe?), moving on, and hooking up with whomever the fuck she pleased. Who needed stability and monogamy and a family and all of that sappy bullshit, anyhow? 

Her mind kept drifting back to vivid and steamy highlights of her night with Lottie. She enjoyed having them as the mental backdrop to her morning when things got too boring at work. She could get used to this lifestyle again. 

At lunch break, she and Jake went across the street to grab burgers. Rosa usually either packed a light, healthy lunch, or ate nothing at all (food could be complicated for Rosa) but hadn’t had time that morning for obvious reasons. A greasy burger would hit the spot, with her mild hangover after her all-night “workout”. 

She and Jake sat on the curb in the alley beside the precinct, enjoying their burgers and fries in silence. Or near silence. It was Rosa, surprisingly, who spoke first. 

“Jake, do you have any hot friends who are single right now and down to bone?”

Jake almost choked on his burger. Rosa was a damn machine! He’d seen her with the redhead last night, knew about Pimento, and knew about Jocelyn. Rosa was obviously working through something. All he could do was support her. She’d always been sexually liberated and adventurous. Jake thought back to those wild days at the academy, where he’d gone on his share of, well, “adventures” with her. Those days were well behind them, buried and moot, but the memories, mostly fond, stayed with him. Sometimes he wondered if she remembered, because she sure as fuck never acted like she did. He figured he had just been one in a roster of many, many people. 

“Uhhhhm...well, yeah. My buddy Dave just broke up with his wife and is looking to play around a bit these days -“

“Too fucking messy.”

“Well, then there’s Steve from our class at the academy -“

“Ugh. No. Suck-up Steve?! NOT hot.” She may have been looking for hook-ups, but she was certainly not desperate. 

“Ohhhkay...um...Wellll...I met this hot girl at a party a while ago and still have her number. She said she was bi and asked if Amy and I swung. Swinged? She asked if we were swingers.”

Rosa snorted “You kept her number? Ha! Hellcat.”

“Actually, Amy suggested that we keep it. For you. Just in case.” 

“Tight. Ok, I’ll take it.”

Rosa threw the rest of her bun and fries to the street pigeons and wiped her hands on her tight black jeans. She hid her excitement at procuring another prospect. 

“Let’s go.” She stood up and started walking back to the precinct entrance, not bothering to wait even a second for Jake to follow. 

He smiled. Some things never change. 

Rosa was barely though the elevator door before she was accosted by Charles. 

“Rosa!” He looked panicked. But smiling? Boyle was such a strange little man. He spoke in hushed tones. “You need to get down to b-town as soon as possible!”

What the fuck was b-town? Bone-town? Was he telling her she needed to get laid? “Boyle, what the hell? B-town?”

“Babylon!” he hissed under his breath. “Go there now!”

Oh Jesus. What was going on? Was Pimento back? Unlikely. Jocelyn? Even less likely. Lottie? No way. 

“Boyle,” she yanked his tie up and twisted it in her fist. “What the actual fuck is going on?” She needed to know what to expect. 

“I think someone wants to help you out.”

“UGH!” She grumbled as she released her hold on Boyle and spun on her heel. 

Fine. She thought, hurrying down the stairs. She wasn’t afraid to see whomever was down there. Hell, maybe she would get to go to bone town after all.


	12. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hear her voice as it's rolling and ringing through me,  
> Soft and sweet,  
> How the notes all bend and reach above the trees
> 
> \- Neutral Milk Hotel

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

She jiggled the handle. Locked. Fucking weird. And so annoying. She dug out her bobby pins and picked the lock. What kind of dummy locks-

Holy shit. 

It wasn’t a dummy at all. 

“Mmmmhey, Rosie.”

The reddish haired girl was curled up in the black velvet beanbag chair in the corner. She wore a white sweater and tight burgundy jeans tucked into tall brown leather boots. Damn, she looked good. 

Rosa was stunned. Frozen. “Oh my god. Gina.”

“It me, Boo.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Jus’ checkin’ in on my squad. I heard things have been depressing and boring around here without me. Came to spread some...” she paused and raised an eyebrow suggestively, “...cheer. “

“You in town just for the day, or-?”

“Nah,” Gina smiled at her, through crystal blue eyes, “There has been an exciting new chapter unlocked in the epic tome entitled, “100 Emoji in Human Form: the Life and Times of Gina Linetti.” As in, I’m back in Brooklyn for good. I moved back to be closer to my friends and family since Milton and I split.”

“Ah, fuck, Gin. I’m sorry. You ok?”

Gina shrugged, “I’ve got Iggy. Well, half-time at least. I’ve got Ginazon. I’m good. “

“What did the bastard do?” Rosa felt a pang of anger in her chest. 

“Aw, Boo. It wasn’t him. I just didn’t really love him anymore and couldn’t keep up the facade. This bird of paradise needed to spread her glittery wings and dance! Dance! Nnhhh-Dance. Cah-caw!”

“Dope,” Rosa smirked. 

“So how are things with you, girl? I heard you have also recently been extricated from a thang.”

“Uhh yeah,” Rosa mumbled. “Jocelyn and I broke up.”

“Awwww, Boo. Well, to be honest, you were too good for her anyway.”

“Shut up. You’ve never even met her.”

“Listen,” said Gina, staring Rosa down, “Nobody is good enough for my Rosie. Mmmhkay?”

Rosa felt her cheeks start to burn. She looked away. 

Gina gestured to their surroundings. “Ol’ Babylon seems to have held up pretty well. Do you still come here? Mayyyybe with special friends?”

“No, Gina. I haven’t been here in ages and I’ve definitely never had sex with anyone in here if that’s what you’re implying. I just sat in here with Boyle the other day to talk.”

“Ah, yes. You take your conquests to the supply closet.”

“What the fuck, Gina?”

Why was Gina fucking with her? Did she know about Pimento? Probably. Ugh, Charles. But was she jealous? Or just being a shit disturber?

“Don’t try to fool Gina Linetti, Boo. I am omniscient. Plus, you were always such an insatiable little minx. I hear that you’re still looking for booty calls, is that right?”

“Well....yeah,” Rosa sighed. She didn’t know where to go with this, so just played it cool. “You wanna set me up with some of your friends again?”

“Hell yeah.” Gina patted the space beside her on the beanbag chair. “Get your hot little ass over here.”

Rosa bit her lip and settled in beside the auburn-haired girl. “I missed you, my Rosie,” said Gina softly, resting her head on Rosa’s strong shoulder. She felt like she could just melt into Rosa and stay there forever. 

“I missed you too, Gin.” She pronounced it like the drink. Literally nobody else called Gina by that nickname, just as Rosa did not permit anyone else to call her Rosie. 

“So. Who do you have lined up for me?” Rosa swallowed hard. 

Gina reached out and gently stroked Rosa’s cheek with a finger. “Just me.”

Rosa closed her eyes and held her breath. She focused on the sensation; the feeling of Gina’s finger on her cheek was amazing. Gina had always been a bit of a tease, but this time, she wasn’t teasing. Or at least Rosa sure as hell hoped she wasn’t. 

“Whaddaya say, tiger?” Gina drawled coyly. “Wanna smash a bottle of bubbly over this place and finally christen the hell out of it?” 

Rosa paused for a moment, opened her eyes wide, and stared at Gina. “Gin...Are you propositioning me?“

“Mmmmm hmmm. I’ve been waiting forever for this.”

“Me t—“ Rosa’s phone rang and startled them both. 

Fuck. It was Terry. She had to answer. 

“Diaz. Peralta and Boyle found our perp at Flatbush and Prospect and need backup. We’ve gotta move!”

“Shit, Gin, I gotta go.” She said as she scrambled to her feet and lunged towards the door. “Shaw’s at 9!”

“M’kay, babe.” Neither of them quite had time to process what was going on. “Stay safe!” Gina sighed and started pining as soon as Rosa bounded out the Babylon door.

Rosa sprinted through the precinct, out to the waiting car, gearing up for a showdown with a bunch of dangerous criminals, but she was keenly aware that her heart was pounding for a different reason altogether.


	13. Pitseleh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not what's missing from your life now,  
> I could never be the puzzle pieces
> 
> \- Elliott Smith

Pitseleh

The cool evening air smelled faintly of wood fire. Rosa was remembering the time she and Gina had sat beside each other at the beach house campfire a few years ago. 

Rosa had been dating Marcus, Holt’s nephew, at the time. She had really liked him, but found herself conflicted about their relationship at several points that weekend. 

Boyle had started it. He must have told Gina that Rosa had disappeared into the bedroom to be “alone” while texting Marcus. 

When Rosa eventually emerged from the nauseatingly cute nautical-themed bedroom, she may have had a bit of an extra glow to her gorgeous skin. She filled a tumbler with ice, and then added a copious amount of whiskey. She took a few swigs and then walked out to the campfire, where she sat down sloppily on the rattan love seat beside Gina. 

It began with some serious side-eye. Gina’s expression was coy AF and she smirked a knowing smile. Rosa scowled at her and growled under her breath “What, Gin?”

Gina raised her eyebrows and then settled her gaze on the blazing campfire. 

Jake was telling a ridiculous story across from them, and everyone was laughing. Rosa was attempting to catch up and was getting into it a bit, when Gina leaned over and drunkenly whispered in her ear, “Show me the pictures you sent him.”

“What?! No.”

“Come onnnnn, Rosie. Ok. Just one.”

“No. Plus, I don’t fucking do that shit,” Rosa desperately tried to shut her down. 

“Oh, no. Seriously? We alllllll do it.”

Gina snuck a hand under Rosa’s thigh and gave her a squeeze and then burst out into maniacal laughter. 

Rosa felt nervous, confused, turned on, and drunk. She continued to drink heavily from her tumbler and stared at the fire. 

The raucous chatter and laughter of the group continued on, and someone suggested playing a game. Holt had gone to bed and things were starting to get a bit unhinged. Amy was at four drinks and was perving on anyone with a pulse. Jake was obviously trying to get in on that action. Boyle and Terry were being loud as fuck. Hitchcock and Scully were eating the hell out of everything in sight. And Gina - Gina was being so straight up flirty and bratty that Rosa’s brain was short-circuiting. 

It was during Charles’ turn at truth or dare that Gina leaned over, completely out of turn, and whispered in Rosa’s ear, “Truth or dare: have you ever slept with a woman?”

Rosa blinked hard and took a swig of whiskey. Damn if she was going to let this hellcat get the best of her. “You didn’t give me a choice between truth and dare, Gin,” she hissed between clenched teeth. 

“Damn straight tiger, and you’re lucky I didn’t give you a chance to choose dare, cause I would have dared you to fuck me tonight.“

Rosa’s jaw dropped. “Jesus Christ,” Rosa exclaimed, a little too loudly. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at her. She had no idea how to react; Gina had pulled the rug out from under her feet. 

“I’m not sure what’s going on with you two ladies, but Gina, it’s your turn,” Boyle called out. 

Gina smiled coyly and took a long sip from her drink, playing with her pink striped paper straw in a bizarrely sultry way. 

“Amy,” she started. “Truth or Dare.”

Thank god, thought Rosa. 

“Truth,” Amy stammered. 

“Boooooo!!!” Roared the gang. 

“Ok, ok! Fine! Dare!”

“I dare you to kiss me.”

Amy giggled and wobbled her way over to Gina. She grabbed Gina’s face and planted a giant, albeit awkward, kiss on her mouth. 

Heat rose up in Rosa’s face as the scene unfolded before her. Her cheeks burned with a mix of shame, anger, and jealousy. Rosa felt embarrassed for having thought that Gina’s drunken near-proposition had actually meant anything. Here was Gina, making out with Amy now, and just obviously trying to stir the pot and get everyone riled up with her rascally antics. 

Once she’d pulled away, Gina smiled and licked her lips at Amy, and then turned and winked at Rosa; this did little to help settle Rosa’s confused mind and overheating body. 

As she got up to get another drink, Rosa slipped her leather jacket off, revealing a tight black tank top underneath. She sauntered out of the room and returned two minutes later with another whiskey. Rosa was going hard. Gina took note. 

At some point late into the night, once things were settling down and she’d finished off her bottle of whiskey, Rosa had had enough. “Night, dummies,” she mumbled to her friends affectionately, as she rose unsteadily and teetered back into the cottage. Once inside the nautical bedroom, she slipped off her boots, socks, jeans, and bra, and starfished under the covers, head spinning. 

Not long thereafter, the door opened. 

“Bedtime, Rosie?”

“Mmmhmm,” Rosa mumbled, half asleep. 

“Can I snuggle with you?” Gina slurred. 

“Bed’s too small.”

Gina stumbled over to the other bed with the navy and white striped duvet cover and pushed it loudly across the hardwood so it was adjacent to Rosa’s. “How ‘bout now?”

“Uh, ‘kay.”

Gina slid into bed beside Rosa. They were both clad in their t-shirts and underwear. Gina big-spooned Rosa, who very much enjoyed the feeling of Gina’s warm, half-naked body pressed into hers. 

In another lifetime...Rosa thought to herself. She sighed. Only platonic snuggles were on the menu tonight of course. Rosa was in a relationship and both women were trashed to all hell, though Rosa would have been lying if she had said she didn’t secretly want more. 

More never happened. This was always how it had been with them. So close, yet so goddamn motherfucking far away. And so confusing. Rosa was never really sure what was actually going on in Gina’s adorable but wacko little head. They were close friends without a doubt, but Rosa had always had a sinking feeling that Gina was straight and just joking around. 

Sure, there was flirting (so.much.flirting.), but their relationship had always remained platonic - comfortable and intimate in many ways, but platonic nonetheless. Even if Gina were actually bi, there always seemed to be something standing between the two of them, be it poorly timed relationships, mental health crap, or physical separation (aka jail. Ugh.) ....and most recently, Gina starting a family, quitting the 99, and moving away. 

Rosa had never expected the two of them to actually ever get a chance to be together, though she had fantasized about it on more than one occasion. But now - now - well, fuck me. Here she was, walking to Shaw’s on a crisp Brooklyn night, to meet up with Gina on what really did seem to be shaping up to be a first date. Rosa was so uncharacteristically nervous she was almost nauseous. Do NOT fuck this up, Diaz, Rosa thought to herself, realizing that she could not even think of the last time she had wanted something so badly.


	14. Skull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We can never ever go too far,  
> The pain we can't escape at least will wait  
> So let's go quickly, no we go slow,  
> Let's go chasing dragons through the snow
> 
> \- Sebadoh

Skull

Rosa took a long, deep breath and steadied herself before walking into Shaw’s. Don’t tell a damn soul, but Rosa Fucking Diaz had serious butterflies. 

She scanned the crowded room for Gina as she walked up to the bar. Good, thought Rosa. She’s not here yet. I can get a head start on drinks. 

“Hey Hank.”

“Hey Diaz. How’s it going?”

“Ok. The usual.”

Hank brought her a double whiskey on the rocks. She slammed it back. 

“Tough day?” He asked

“Something like that.”

Rosa pulled out her phone and checked her messages. Nothing. 

“Hank,” she called out, raising her empty glass as a way to ask for another. 

Ok. So maybe she overdid it a little. A long workday with an intense late afternoon takedown and - fuck. When did she last eat? Rosa couldn’t remember and truthfully had never been good at keeping track of meals while working or otherwise busy. The booze was kicking in but Rosa didn’t really want to be wasted throughout their entire date, so she slowed herself down and started drinking water. 

“Daaaang. Rosa Diaz drinking water at a bar? Now I’ve seen everything,” came a sultry voice with the slightest hint of a drawl. Gina appeared, leaned over, and continued, her lips pressed to Rosa’s ear, “Scratch that. I have a whole list of other things I need to see...”

Rosa smirked. “Woah, Gin. Coming out swinging, are we?”

“Fuck, no. This has been years in the making, babe.” She grabbed Rosa’s chin, looked her dead in the eye, and then planted an emphatic kiss on Diaz’s mouth. Gina slid her tongue inside, tasting whiskey and peppermint, feeling her warm, slippery tongue and soft, pillowy lips. 

“Mmmmmm, Rosie.” She leaned back slightly and put her hand on one of Rosa’s leather-clad shoulders. “A hard shell with a soft-as-hell centre. I could get used to this.”

“Ha. I can also...” Rosa whispered into Gina’s ear, “...have a hard centre. A very hard one.”

Gina closed her eyes, smiled, and took in a deep breath. Then, she slammed a hand down on the bar and blurted out, “Umm, yeah, we need to get out of here, Diaz. Like. Right. Fucking. Now.” She grabbed her phone and texted the cab line. “My place.”

Rosa smiled. She loved having this effect on people, and was particularly thrilled that she was having it on Gina Fucking Linetti. She felt a surge of adrenaline, which bolstered her confidence, and she grabbed Gina’s ass as they stood up. 

Her mind swirled with various dirty thoughts as the two made their way together through the crowded bar. Rosa held Gina’s hand and squeezed it. 

Out in the cool night air, around the side of the building, Rosa felt another layer of inhibition peel away from her, and she grabbed Gina’s hips, pushed her to the wall, and began to kiss her with a new level of unbridled lust. She saw stars, this felt so fucking good. She slid her hands down to Gina’s ass, caressing her curves and kneading their softness with fervour. Before long, one of her hands was down the back of Gina’s jeans, and the other was up under the front of her shirt. Fuck, this woman was so damn hot. Rosa wanted to feel every inch of her body, right fucking now. 

Gina responded with zeal to everything Rosa was doing, moaning with pleasure as Rosa kissed her lips, neck, ears, collarbone, nibbling and sucking as she went. Gina’s hands were on Rosa’s waist, running up and down her sides, feeling her strong body and delicate curves. 

The cab pulled up. Rosa broke the kiss. 

“Gin. Seriously though. Are we rushing this?”

“God, I fucking hope so, Diaz.” 

Once in the cab, Gina gave the driver directions and then immediately slid a hand between Rosa’s legs and left it there, applying steady pressure, as she leaned in to whisper a laundry list of all the filthy things that she wanted them to do to each other. Rosa was biting her lip to keep from moaning or growling or shouting or all of the above. She closed her eyes and felt them rolling upwards, dying from the feeling of Gina’s hand finally being on her crotch, and enjoying the mental images flashing through her mind as Gina spoke. 

“Damn, Gin,” Rosa finally panted into Gina’s ear. “You have no idea how hot you’re making me right now.”

“Well it looks like I’m about to find out.” Gina said with a coy smile. “This is it,” she called out to the cabbie, who came to a stop in front of Gina’s building. 

Yeah, this was finally fucking IT, Rosa thought to herself. She could barley contain her excitement and lust. Gina led the way from the cab to her walk-up apartment, Rosa following her like a starving feral animal, watching Gina’s hips and ass sway in the most delicious way.

THIS lifetime! HA! Suck it, universe!


	15. Maps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Made off, don’t stray,  
> My kind's your kind, I'll stay the same,  
> Pack up, Don’t stray,  
> Oh say say say, oh say say say,  
> Wait, they don't love you like I love you
> 
> \- The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Maps

Gina opened the door to the apartment, threw a light switch and watched as Rosa’s jaw dropped. 

The apartment glowed, in the most beautiful, magical, romantic way Rosa could have ever imagined. The room was half illuminated by strings of soft white fairy lights running along the tops of the walls, and the orange glow produced by a gas fireplace. A large faux sheepskin rug lay at the hearth, dappled with rose petals. Beside the fireplace stood Gina’s most prized possession: her bronze statue of two female jaguars making love. The scent of lavender permeated the warm air, stirring up strong associations with Gina/Babylon in Rosa’s mind. Several bouquets of roses were set in vases through the room. A bottle of red wine, two glasses, and a cheese plate were set out on the coffee table, upon which were scattered more red rose petals. 

“Oh my god...” Rosa stood in shock. Gina closed the door behind them, and wrapped her arms around Rosa’s neck. 

“Yeah, Rosie. This is all for you. I’ve, um, been thinking about this moment for a long, long time.”

Rosa was literally melting. “Gin, this is beautiful as hell. You’re beautiful as hell. I can’t even believe...” she trailed off as a tear rolled down her cheek. 

“Awww, believe it, Boo.” Gina said softly, kissing Rosa’s cheek. “I got your favourite Valpolicella and your favourite Gouda, and if I know you at all, this will probably be your first and only meal of the day. Trust me; you’ll need some energy for the night we have ahead of us...” 

Rosa smiled and felt a warmth spread from her chest outward. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so happy. Was this love? She thought this probably... maybe?... surely... definitely?... was love.

I mean...she made me a fucking cheese plate, Rosa thought to herself. And this apartment, so beautifully prepared...for her... Nobody had ever romanced her like this before. 

But also.

Fuck the cheese plate. 

Rosa grabbed Gina and quickly and deftly toppled the both of them over onto the sheepskin rug. “Yeah, Gin. I’m starving,” she chuckled softly as she grabbed Gina’s shoulders and straddled her hips, “but not for the cheese plate.”

Rosa leaned down and parted Gina’s lips with her own. Her kisses were urgent, probing, needy. She buried her face in Gina’s flowing auburn locks and sucked and licked and kissed at the cream coloured skin of her neck. She grazed Gina’s neck with her teeth a few times. Gina moaned in pleasure and Rosa bit her with more intensity, pausing to raise her eyebrows. 

“Mmmmyess,” hissed Gina, clearly enjoying the bit of roughness going on. “You can do anything to me, Detective. Wait! Not anything.... everything. Please. This is my blanket consent. And if I don’t like something, my safe word is ‘Boyle’.”

“Ewww, Gina.”

“Exactly. It was going to be ‘Beyoncé’ or ‘Rihanna’ but things got a little weird in the past when I accidentally called out their names for other reasons.”

“Tight,” Rosa chuckled. “And, you know, I’ve dated Pimento, so I obviously have no boundaries either... but ‘Boyle’ will be my safe word too, just in case you’re crazier than he is.” She laughed and then pulled in a fast, deep breath; she was now so worked up and so hot in front of the fire that she could feel beads of sweat forming on her brow. 

Gina seemed to read her mind and started tugging at Rosa’s jacket. “This is so dang hot, but I’m sorry - it’s gotta go.” 

Rosa stripped off her jacket and shirt, and unzipped her fly for good measure while she was at it. She unbuttoned Gina’s top and spread her shirt open, taking in the sight of Gina’s lacy peach coloured bra and full cleavage. She heaved a sigh in admiration. “Mmmph. I have always been a boob woman,” she muttered with an eyebrow cocked, before beginning to nuzzle and lick at Gina’s chest. Gina reached behind her own back and unclasped her bra, quickly slipping it off and flinging it across the room. She did the same to Rosa’s delicate red and black push-up, as Rosa worked away at loving every inch of Gina’s soft, porcelain skinned torso. 

Gina grabbed handfuls of Rosa’s shiny black hair which felt so much softer than it looked. She inhaled Rosa’s scent of ...citrus....and jasmine, was it? And something else musky and earthy that she couldn’t quite place. 

Gina was enraptured. She was just slipping her hands out of Rosa’s hair, intending to slither them down towards the front of Rosa’s tight black jeans, but the brunette grabbed her hands before they could reach their target. 

“I’m in charge here, Linetti,” she growled and nibbled the skin over Gina’s ribs. Rosa had both of Gina’s wrists in one hand as she kissed her way over to Gina’s belly button, and then down to the waistband of her jeans. She paused and smiled at Gina, tracing a dark purple acrylic nail back and forth along Gina’s lower abdomen. 

“Daaaang, Rosie. I had been hoping you were a dom,” drawled Gina. 

“You have no idea how much I’ve been dying to taste you. Forever, Gin. I feel like this is a dream.” 

“Well, pinch yourself baby, cause you are getting the authentic Gina Linetti experience tonight.” 

Another chuckle emerged from Rosa’s lips before an intense look washed over her; she was on a mission. It didn’t take Rosa long to get Gina out of her pants and down to her lacy peach thong. Rosa rubbed her face over the soft fabric and inhaled. “Mmmmm Gina. You smell so fucking good...like an English garden...”

“Hmmm, thanks,” Gina laughed, “but this garden needs a good hoe. Think you’re up for the job, Diaz?”

“I’m down for it, that’s for sure,” Rosa muttered as she grabbed the thong elastic in her teeth and let it snap back against Gina’s skin. 

“Do it, then,” urged Gina in a firm tone. 

As if she had to demand it! Rosa conceded that bit of dominance to Gina, and began to gently lick at the fabric covering Gina’s mound. 

Slipping a finger under the gusset, Rosa pulled the thong to one side and began to lightly caress Gina’s delicate folds with a long acrylic nail. 

Gina squirmed beneath Rosa’s teasing touches. “Dear god, woman. As much as I want this to last forever, I am begging you to fuck me right now.” 

A wicked smile crossed Rosa’s lips. The power was all hers. And she was going for a slowass burn. “Ha! Linetti is begging me to fuck her,” she mused, thoroughly enjoying this dynamic. “I could get used to this.”

She licked her lips, and finally brought her tongue to its ultimate destination. The first few licks were gentle light flickers which were soon followed by long, slow, broad laps all the way along Gina’s opening. 

“Mmmmmmnnnh. Fuck...Diaz....”  
Gina bucked with the exquisite movements of Rosa’s talented tongue. To say Rosa was into this was the understatement of the year; her brain could barely process what was happening and she was operating on pure animal instinct at this point. Gina was a fucking specimen of a beast who tasted like apples and cinnamon and heaven. Rosa wanted to give her more; to give her all the pleasure she possibly could. To add to what her mouth was already doing, Rosa moaned and hummed the so Gina could feel a buzzing sensation; she reached underneath Gina’s ass to pull the thong fabric up tight between Gina’s cheeks; and finally, she slipped three fingers into Gina’s soft and delightfully slick centre.

She looked up to lock eyes with Gina. “Mmmmm Gin, you’re so fucking wet. This is beyond hot.” 

Rosa felt her own dampness and desire to come, but was hellbent on giving Gina what she needed first. She began to work magic with her fingers, pumping and probing, curling and straightening. 

“Rosa...oh god yeah...I’m so close,”Gina said in a breathy tone. 

“Yeah you are, Linetti. Come for me.”

“I gotta...warn you, though,” She panted, “You keep your fingers curled up like that .....and I’m gonna come all over the place. Towel! on the chair!”

Rosa’s eyes were like saucers and she may have emitted a small gasp. Gin was a squirter! Ha! Tight. Rosa had only ever fucked one other girl who did that, and it had been hot as hell. 

She took Gina’s advice and grabbed the towel before getting right back to the task at hand. Gina now had fistfuls of Rosa’s hair and was pushing Rosa’s face into her body. Rosa felt Gina’s abdomen start to tense, so she did her best to maintain steady rhythm, pressure, everything , just as it was. 

“YES! Diaz, YES! FUCK ME! Oh, YEAHHH!!!!”

Gina’s climax came like a tsunami...huge waves of release and wetness, crashing into Rosa, loud and ferocious. Rosa moaned along with her as Gina rode out the 10 (Or was it 100?) glorious seconds of pleasure. It was an incredible turn on for Rosa to see the effect she was having on the woman of her dreams. She had to fight with herself to keep her hand out of her own pants. 

The two of them collapsed into a hot sticky sweaty mess on the towel and rug. 

“Holy shit. Good call with the towel, Linetti. That was impressive.”

“My nickname isn’t G-Spot for nothing.”

“That’s not your nickname.”

“Oh Rosie, baby. You have so much to learn about me. I have so many surprises in store for you...”

She rolled Rosa on to her back and straddled the brunette, kissing her passionately and tasting a mixture of them both. She let her hand slide down to Rosa’s jeans and reached under Rosa’s very girlie boyshorts. Ah-haaaa...where Gina was bare, Rosa was fuzzy. Groomed, but a bit wild. Hottttt. Gina had always been curious about Rosa’s intimate grooming habits, and found the current situation incredibly sexy. She needed to see and feel more, immediately. She shuffled Rosa’s jeans and underwear down to her ankles where Rosa kicked them off, and then spread Rosa’s flexible bent legs out to a butterfly position. 

“Ahhhhh yeah,” Gina sighed with a coy smile, lightly stroking Rosa between her legs. “You sexy bitch. I’m going to need to get all up in here.”

“Linetti. Come here first. I want you to kiss me, and grind against me. Like your goddamn jaguars.” Rosa laughed and motioned lazily towards the fireplace with one hand, and then grabbed Gina’s ass and pushed their hips together. At last, at long fucking last, they were able to rub and grind against one another.

They continued on in their rhythm, while alternately kissing, licking, and biting lips, tongues, ears, necks - until Rosa purred into Gina’s ear, “I have no idea what equipment you keep here, but I want you to go get the biggest and the hardest of your stash, and I want you to fuck the hell out of me.”

“Ten-four, detective,” Gina said in a sultry low tone, as she rolled off the naked brunette and crawled over to the coffee table. She opened the drawer beneath it and extracted a purple satin bag of substantial size. Rosa liked where this was going. 

A large, clear, ridged, double ended toy was removed from the bag. It shone in the soft glow of the room, and appeared to be made of glass. 

“Dope. That will definitely do,“ said Rosa. “Ok, wait. Now that I see that, I’ve changed my mind. I want to watch you with the long end first. Fuck it for me, Linetti. Now.”

Gina knelt beside where Rosa lay, on one knee. She spread herself open with one hand and grasped the toy in the other. Rosa’s view was spectacular. “Slide it up and down between your lips. Get it wet first.” Gina did as she was told, and Rosa watched intently. “Good. Now get that long end buried. Deeeep. Allll the way. Uh huh. Now slowwwwwly pull it out.”

As Rosa watched Gina’s display, she slid a hand between her own legs and began to pleasure herself. 

“Do it again.”

Gina complied. 

“Again. Slower.”

After a few minutes, Rosa could feel the tension rising in her body and the familiar tingle of pleasure starting to build. 

“Tell me what it feels like.”

“Mmmmmm. It’s so warm. And so slick. It feels like liquid glass dripping out of me. The ridges - mmmmnh - the ridges are making me wanna come again.” 

“Ok. Take it out. Switch ends - get the short thick side in there. Uh huh, like that. Now get the hell over here and fuck my brains out, you hellcat.” 

Gina did just that. She straddled Rosa’s hips, her legs spread wide open, and parted her soft and slightly furry lips with a couple of fingers. She teasingly slid one finger in to check and yep, sweet Jesus, Rosa was wet as all hell. Gina grasped the tip of the glass toy and guided it to Rosa’s entrance, and then with a long slow thrust, buried her appendage into her lover. 

The pressure from thrusting into Rosa created a deep backwards thrust into Gina. Gina slowly circled her hips, a few times in one direction, and then the other allowing both of them to receive pleasure from the double-ended toy. 

“Fuuuck yeaaaah,” Rosa quietly moaned over and over again into Gina’s ear as their hips moved together in unison, through slow thrusts and gyrations. Rosa’s hands were clawing the hell of of Gina’s ass, and Gina was into it. 

“Ok, Linetti. Finish this.” Rosa growled. “Make me scream your name, just like I’ve done so many times in my dreams.”

“Say no more, you beautiful sexy jaguar.”

It shouldn’t have surprised Gina that it only took a minute or less of hard, fast fucking for Rosa to lose her goddamn mind and roar, “YEAAAAHHH FUCK ME LINETTI!” so loudly that Gina’s neighbours were almost certainly traumatized. 

And then... “Unnnnhhhh DIAZ! I’M coming again!! YESSSS!”

Both women arched backwards as they rode wave after wave of ecstasy together, bucking and yelling and swearing, and finally shivering and sighing and relaxing. 

They lay side by side on the sheepskin, their damp bodies illuminated by the orange glow of the fire, eventually turning onto their sides to face eachother and lock eyes. They began to lightly stroke each other’s bodies, and place delicate kisses on each other’s mouths and faces. 

“Gin...that...was.....” Rosa shook her head in amazement. 

“...the authentic Gina Linetti experience! Now you know what all the hype is about. And now I know that you’re even better in the sack than I imagined. And believe me, I did imagine. In great detail. Many, many times.”

Rosa chuckled. “So. How about that cheese plate?”

“Are you just using me for my Gouda, you fancy bitch?”

“Lets just say...” Rosa teased “that if you keep putting it out, I’ll keep putting out. “

“Anything for you, tiger.”


	16. Mystery of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, to see without my eyes,  
> The first time that you kissed me  
> Boundless by the time I cried,  
> I built your walls around me
> 
> \- Sufjan Stevens

Mystery of Love

As the dawn broke, thin streams of golden light peeked through spaces in and around slats of Gina’s bedroom window blinds. Rosa stirred. As she became conscious, the details of her current whereabouts and recent escapades began to trickle through her brain. 

Dear sweet baby Jesus. Gina looked like a goddamn legit angel tangled up in the lily white cloud puffs of the downy comforter, her milky skin glowing and her reddish mane spread out on the pillow. Altogether, the beautiful tableau just made Rosa want to do more things to Gina. Even dirtier things. 

But those things would, for the most part, have to wait. Rosa was due at the precinct in less than an hour.

Motherfucker, she grumbled to herself.

She rubbed a bare foot gently up and down one of Gina’s soft shins. Her temperature started to rise; her body knew exactly what it wanted. She had ten minutes to spare, right? She propped herself up, leaned over Gina, and began to nuzzle and nibble her ear and neck, whispering...”Giiiinnn. Beautiful Ginnnnn. Wake up... Before I have to go....”

The lids to Gina’s pale blue eyes fluttered. She broke into a big sleepy smile when she realized what was happening. “Mhmmmmm.”

They shared a handful of tender, gentle kisses as Gina woke up fully, and before long, Rosa turned to lie on her back. She reached up and grabbed Gina’s face in her hands. “I want you to taste me.”

Gina responded with a sleepy smile and a delighted moan, more than happy to oblige. She hovered over Rosa, her mouth slowly kissing its way down to her naked, fuzzy mound. The scent of her musk was stronger and sexier this morning; it was intoxicating to Gina. She slid her tongue along Rosa’s soft, wet folds, which tasted salty and spicy, inhaling deeply to get as much of Rosa into her lungs as she possibly could. Rosa whimpered and bucked gently, massaging Gina’s scalp with her manicured fingertips. Every time Gina landed on a sweet spot at a perfect pace, Rosa would groan and pull Gina’s head in closer. It was easy to follow Rosa’s non-verbal directions. So easy, in fact, that Rosa was reaching her climax within minutes, letting loose a loud, throaty moan of ecstasy. She collapsed and threw a forearm over her own brow. 

“Damn, Linetti.” Rosa sighed, after catching her breath. 

“Uh huh. Gina Linetti knows how to treat a bitch.” Gina concurred. 

Rosa laughed, squeezing Gina’s soft hip. 

Then the goddamn doorbell rang. Rosa’s eyes widened. 

“Ahhh it’s just Milton and Iggy. Drop off. Meant to tell you sooner. But you know. Sex,” she shrugged, playfully. 

“Yup,” said Rosa. She felt her stomach flop. What the fuck. Jealousy? What was this? She was totally weirded out. Gina threw on a robe and exited the bedroom, closing the door behind her. A moment later, the door opened quickly and Gina’s hand appeared and tossed Rosa’s clothes, backpack, and boots into the bedroom before disappearing again. 

The air smelled like sex and lavender; Rosa felt embarrassed. She sprang from the bed and hastily got dressed in fresh clothes from her backpack. She donned her jacket and boots, packed up her bag, and sat at the edge of the bed, unsure of what to do or where to go next. 

She could hear Iggy’s little happy squeals and Milton’s soft, deep voice. Her heart hurt in an unfamiliar way. Was she dying?

Nope. It was something else. A deep longing and an ache. Rosa buried it. 

A few minutes later, a knock came at the bedroom door. “Uh. Yeah?”

“Can I come in?” Asked Gina. 

“Yeah,” replied Rosa, slightly unsure. 

Gina stood in the doorway in her fluffy red robe, her cherubic young toddler perched on her hip. 

“Say hi to Auntie Rosie, Iggy!”

“Hi,” Enigma waved. 

“Hi Iggy. Well. Gin. I uh...I’ve gotta get to work. Have a good day, guys.” Rosa turned and walked towards the apartment door. 

“Okay. Yeah. Well. Thanks for the visit Rosie.” Gina called after her. “I enjoyed that. Very much. Come back again?”

“Yeah,” said Rosa over her shoulder managing a hint of a smile despite feeling like a nervous mess. 

“Bye bye!” Gina waved.  
“Bye bye!” Echoed Enigma. 

Rosa had wanted to kiss Gina goodbye or at least hug her, but was feeling like an imposter in the apartment. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she did not belong there. 

What the fuck am I getting into? Rosa asked herself, though she couldn’t help but smile the tiniest smile.


	17. Transatlanticism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The water filled every hole,  
> And thousands upon thousands made an ocean,  
> Making islands where no islands should go 
> 
> \- Death Cab For Cutie

Transatlanticism

For the weeks that followed, Gina may as well have been living halfway across the world; she had a very different life now as a mother and a social media influencer. Their schedules meant that Rosa only got to see her once a week, albeit always for a hot and steamy date night and sleepover at minimum. For someone like Rosa, who needed her space, that was an ok balance, though if Rosa had her way, she’d have sex with her gorgeous girlfriend daily, at the very least. I mean, she thought, who wouldn’t be hitting that? 

If Rosa allowed herself to shelve her badass persona for just one goddamn minute, though, and be completely honest with herself, she would have realized that the anxiety she felt deep down, surrounding Gina’s family, was due to the fact that she wanted more. She wanted to be more to Gina. She wanted this forever. 

I need you so much closer....

But the feelings were too much, so she kept pushing back; burying her emotions and denying her underlying needs. She had never been one to seek out healthy coping mechanisms. 

Despite all of this, Gina and Rosa managed to grow closer. Over time, the two found reasons to spend more and more time together. Until, one morning, Gina surprised Rosa by sauntering into the precinct and taking a seat at the assistant’s desk. She booted up the laptop and pulled a file out of a large stack of miscellaneous papers. 

“Linetti...” It came out in a tiny voice as Rosa sat and stared across the room in disbelief, mouth agape. 

Gina smiled and waved at her. 

Rosa’s eyes darted around the room. She saw all of her colleagues - friends - smiling proudly. The squad was in on it. Bastards! 

Gina had secretly reapplied for her old job, re-interviewed, and undergone repeat security screening, and had finally won the contract...all right under Rosa’s nose. 

Maybe a cheese plate wasn’t the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her, after all. Not anymore, at least. 

Rosa stood up. She took a deep breath, then broke into a smile and walked straight over to Gina’s desk, straddled her in the chair,and kissed her with abandon. She was in love with Gina Linetti and she didn’t care who the fuck knew it. 

The squad erupted into applause. Rosa blushed, but felt a swell of pride rising within her. This was what she wanted: a partner she was proud to have by her side, for all to see. Gina. Her soulmate. Her lover. Her....someday....her....

....wife?


	18. Somewhere Only We Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I came across a fallen tree,  
> I felt the branches of it looking at me  
> Is this the place we used to love?  
> Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
> 
> \- Keane

Somewhere Only We Know

It happened at the beach house, a year and a half later. The squad had finally managed to get away again for another retreat. The air was fresh and the night sky was clear. The campfire crackled. Gina and Rosa were the last ones left sitting out. 

They were cuddled up to each other on the love seat, under a thick plaid woollen blanket. Rosa rested her head on Gina’s shoulder.

“Remember the last time we were out here?” she mused.

“Ha! Yeah. I made out with Santiago. What a trip.”

“I cried that night. That’s when I knew.”

“You what, Diaz?”

“I fucking cried. A LOT. Because of you.”

“What?”

“Because I realized at that moment that I loved you. That I had always loved you.”

“Oh...Rosie....” Gina gazed into her girlfriend’s eyes, smiling. Rosa felt tears start to well up. 

“And -“ Rosa paused “I know now...”

She dropped to one knee. 

“...that I will always love you, Gin.”

Gina’s smile widened as pools of tears collected in her eyes as well. 

“Oh my God, Diaz...”

“Gina Motherfucking Linetti, will you be my gorgeous, amazing wife, like, forever?”

She reached out towards Gina, her hands clasped together. She opened them to reveal a delicate hematite ring sitting on her palm, shining silver-black. 

“Yes! Rosa! Oh my god. Of course I will marry your hot ass, you crazy bitch! Now get in here!”

The two spent the rest of the night together under the stars, talking, making love, and eventually falling asleep, spooning on the love seat.

At breakfast the next morning, Jake, always the fucking detective, was the first to notice. He waited until the first lull overcame the squad as they gleefully devoured the first round of waffles. 

“So!” he exclaimed at the table. “It appears that a couple of lovebirds *cough* Diaz *cough* Linetti *cough* may have a briefing for the squad this morning?”

Surprised, Holt asked, “How so, Peralta?”

Jake raised his eyebrows and looked over towards Gina with a googly-eyed expression. 

Gina rested her left elbow on the table, propping her chin up on her fist, her ring quite obviously exposed. 

“What?” she asked nonchalantly. “Oh, this old thing?” She looked down at the her hand. 

“YEAH, you’re damn right, Peralta!” she held out her hand proudly for all to see. “DIAZ and I are gonna be WIVES, Y’ALL!”

A chorus of cheers and squeals (Charles) was sent up by the squad. Rounds of hugs followed. Rosa played along. This was pretty fuckin’ dope, after all. 

She was proud and her heart was full.  
Is this what love feels like? 

After lunch that day, the squad had gathered in the games room, sipping cocktails, nibbling on snacks, and casually chatting. 

Rosa and Gina had assumed their usual positions, cuddling up as closely as humanly possible to one another in the corner of the couch. 

“So, ladies. Will you keep your last names? Or will you take Rosa’s last name, Gina?”

“Why would you assume that, Charles?” Rosa asked flatly. 

“Oh. No reason, just curious. I really wanted to take Genevieve’s last name but it’s against the Boyle Code. Boyles are asked to seed the world with as many Boyles as humanly possible. Which, given the state of the seed of most male Boyles, is sadly not that many. Thankfully, Gina -“

“That’s enough, Charles,” Rosa admonished him, rolling her eyes. 

“Ewwww, Charles!” Gina whined. 

“No one cares, Boyle!” snapped Jake. 

“You should both change your names!” Amy exclaimed, excitedly. “I’ve performed a quick serious of nomenclature permutations and have run the metrics, and, statistically speaking, the surname that actually suits the both of you best is a portmanteau of both of your surnames: Dianetti. It’s literally 99.9% perfect.”

Gina cracked up. “Amy...”

Rosa braced herself. She sensed that her girlfriend was about to insult Amy. The suggestion wasn’t half-bad, though. 

“That name is...”

“Perfect,” uttered Gina and Rosa simultaneously. They smiled and gazed at each other, before their lips met in a sweet kiss. 

More cheers from the squad went up. 

“Ladies and gentlemen!” proclaimed Jake, raising his glass, “To Mrs. and Mrs. Dianetti! Forever!”

“Dianetti Forever!” cheered the squad in reply. 

“Nine Nine!” shouted Jake. 

“NINE NINE!!!!!!”

*****the end ******


End file.
